


Actually, No We Don't

by Ononymous



Series: Undertale Anniversary Requests 2017 [8]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Gen, Meta, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 05:55:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12102243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: He didn't get it. Nothing else was happening. The story was done. Nothing would change. Why were all these people being so nice to them all?He just couldn't understand. They had to let go.





	Actually, No We Don't

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't know I'd write this today, but it feels too connected to the fandom to pass up posting on the anniversary. Less of a story and more of a manifesto about when it's okay to be part of a fandom.

He had just about reached the end of his tether with this.

Why didn't they get it? There was nothing. Nothing would enhance their experience any further than it already had. What was the point of lingering? Move on already, find a new experience. Surely it's unhealthy to linger on one thing for the rest of your life. If it had been an ongoing story maybe he could understand, but the story was done. 

So what if people liked thinking about what happened next? It wouldn't be the same. No matter how fancy or well reasoned or whatever, any addition was inherently fraudulent. That was the whole point. Didn't they watch that Henry Boomchap video? Seriously, get a life, people.

He made up his mind. Tomorrow he'd make an impassioned plea. Encourage these people to move on and become a better person.

* * *

The preparations were coming along well. The posters and banners had been hoisted into position. Artists were setting up their stalls. The cosplayers were assembling their costumes in their hotel rooms. The special guests were going to be slightly late, but there was more than enough to keep everyone busy until they arrived. This was gonna be awesome.

It had been two years since this landed in everyone's lap. Most people had gotten used to it, or just got back to the daily grind of life. But there was more than enough who still enjoyed it, so there was no reason to stop.

Janet was in line waiting for the convention to open. She had gone last year with her friend Dana, but Dana had moved on to other things, so now she was deep in conversation with someone in an impressive fish costume.

"I didn't know whether to make a mask, but I settled on the makeup. I think it's easier that way. Less sweaty, definitely."

"Oh, that's soo cool, Haley! I wish I could do something like that, but I don't know how."

"You should just try anyway. Otherwise how will you ever know? First costume I ever made, they said I had the wrong type of baseball bat! They were a jerk, but other people actually advised me on what kind of bat they would have used. It worked out for the best in the end. Even if you just wanna write a story or something, go for it!"

"You really think I can?"

"Well how would I know? You haven't even tried yet!"

The two of them laughed.

"Hey everyone, look over there!"

Everyone seemed to automatically look across the street. A small white dog was strolling up to them. He was projecting such... such authority that nobody dared look away. They all paid him rapt attention.

Excellent. Time to make his case. He opened his mouth.

"Arf!"

You could have heard a pin drop.

"Woof woof, bark. Pant pant. Arf bark bark growl. Growl whine."

There was a small patch of dirt. He dug around in it for a while.

"Arf arf woof growl. Bark? Pant pant pant! Arf!"

He sniffed a fire hydrant.

"Pant pant. Woof woof? Yipe!" He tucked his tail between his legs for effect. "Whine whine, arf? Growl! Pant bark bark, yip bark bark, howl bark bark!"

The audience admired that little rhetorical flourish. Good. Now to head towards the conclusion.

"Yip yip, yipe? Arf arf. Howl, bark yip. Pant whine pant. Woof? Woof! Growl howl bark. Whine whine whine pant: Arf!"

And now to finish with a little rhetorical question.

"Arf yip howl whine growl bark pant?"

Satisfied he had made an argument to rival the wisest philosopher, the dog held his head up high and trotted away, tail wagging incessantly.

"Well," said Haley, "he sure had a lot to say."

"Is he right, though?"

The small crowd turned to a guy with a Delta Rune t-shirt.

"I mean, is it wrong to spend so much time with something that isn't gonna change? I mean the story's been told, hasn't it? What else is there?"

There was some muttering of assent.

"I think there's lots." said Janet.

Everyone turned to her now. She hadn't expected this debate, but wasn't about to back down.

"I mean, everybody who draws them. Is there anything wrong with improving your art skills? Or writing. It's good to get practice, isn't it. Even Haley here in her costume. Doesn't that show that it's enhanced our lives in some way? I mean, we've all made new friends talking about it."

It was Janet's turn to get murmurs of agreement.

"Well, for the creative types, you may have a point," replied her opponent, "but what about those who just talk about it? Or those who just read the story again and again and do nothing else? Can that be considered healthy when the story never changes?"

"Really? You think obsessing over one thing is worse than applying that obsession to several things? Obsession itself is unhealthy, it doesn't mean you should condemn a story that resonated with you. Besides, lots of stories and stuff don't have new material added, and they get read and talked about. Nobody's added to the Iliad canon in two thousand years and people still talk about it."

"Damn hack Virgil, trying to shill his BFF Augustus-"

"Not the point, Javier. Why is the total amount of 'official' content the final arbiter of what is acceptable to like? And why does liking it have to have a time limit? And I move on too. I used to be all about the Aliens in-"

Haley started singing. "I am the very model of a scientist-"

"Exactly. And I still feel for him. Maybe I'll move on from this some day too. Doesn't mean I have to be embarrassed about caring for them."

"Bah," said Mister Delta, "you just can't let go of him. You heard his story in particular and you don't want to admit there's nothing you can do. I bet you're gonna buy all the comics there are about it."

Janet breathed deeply. "Yes. His story touched me deeply. And I'll happily read stuff that explores what might have happened. But I do accept what happened, even if I don't like it. Life rarely slots into place perfectly happy. But again, that's not unique to what happened with him, or anyone else we're here to appreciate. TV shows have such characters where it feels unfair, and it's fun to explore that. Hell, even actual history has people opining over what might have happened. I mean, look at the Bonapartist Convention down the street."

Several of the audience turned around to see the large crowd of people dressed in Napoleonic Army costumes. The small white dog was barking at them too.

"Well, convenient visual anecdoate aside, don't you think it's... kinda sad?"

"If you think it's sad, why are you here? Why are you wearing that t-shirt?"

He started fiddling with the zip of his jacket.

"No, don't cover it up! Answer me!"

He thought for a while.

"I don't. Not really. It's just my brother's always asking me what I see in liking all this. He doesn't see the appeal. And a lot of my friends don't either. So, maybe I'm wondering... am I wrong?"

"Nah," said Haley, "there is no right and wrong when it comes to stuff you like. Even when we talk about So-"

There was urgent mutterings and pleas which stopped her talking.

"Remember last year, Haley, everyone agreed to leave 'S' alone."

"Oh, sorry. I forgot."

"Look," Janet continued to the Delta guy, "the dog wasn't full of crap, he had some valid points. There are people who focus on this to the exclusion of everything else. Even their families. And having a broader set of interests and knowledge bases isn't a bad thing. He's right when some people take it too far. But I wouldn't say us enjoying something in common with that sort means the something is bad. Heck, it means they might have a chance to reach out to someone. Hasn't everything we've learned about this shown that we should try not to leave people totally alone? If using our interests is the first step on that, so be it. As long as we keep aware of what matters in life, our escapism is fine. And so is theirs, even if I don't care for my brother following the football."

Mister Delta turned rather pink.

"I guess... you're right. Everything in moderation, right?"

"Everything in moderation," agreed Haley, "but not this weekend because this convention will rock!"

Everyone cheered. As if that was the secret password, the doors opened, and everyone started filing in.

"Wow, more artists than last year!"

"There's the saving Gaster seminar!"

A tannoy started up. "Convention goers are reminded not to offer to donate their souls. This will result in ejection from the premises."

"Look, it's the guests, they got here on time after all!"

"Howdy!"

"heya."

Janet grabbed pieces of paper she'd brought especially, and made sure her pen and backup pen worked. On a whim, she shared some with Haley and Javier, and Mister Delta too, as a line organically formed in front of the guests.

**Author's Note:**

> Original version: https://pastebin.com/99x1y4vm
> 
> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
